Cigarette dispenser



June 1, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL 3,186,590

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GIZ INVENTORS WA L 75/? BE HA W/LHELM BEA DER BY v wwewhbm ATTORNEYS June 1, 1965 w. BEHA ETAL CIGARETTE DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 1, 1963 R M M mwm r, w E B M E TB N N R w M o N H w fi A A W I smoke it.

mechanism moves the cigarette so that one end of the ly reliable and relatively inexpensive,

This invention pertains, in general, to the dispensing of lighted cigarettes; and, in particular, to-new and improved electrical circuitry for lighting cigarettes to be dispensed by a dispensing machine. The electricalcircuitry provided by the presentfinvention is an improvement over the electrical cigarette-lighting circuitry disclosed in the United States Patent No. 2,936,930 for Cigarette Dispenser With Electric Lighting Device, granted on May 17, 1960.

In the cigarette dispenser according to Patent No. 2,936,930, a conveying mechanism transfers cigarettes, individually, from a cigarette magazine to an electrically heated lighting device. After the cigarette has been lighted, the conveying mechanism transfers the lighted cigarette to an opening in a housing of the cigarette dis-v penser so that the smoker can take the cigarette and In order to light the cigarette, the conveying cigarette abuts against a resistance wire heater element.- The resistance wire heater element is-arranged in a series circuit with a pair of spring contacts which comprise a normally-openjswitch; the normally open switch and resistance wire ,heater element being connected across a voltage source, such as a battery. When the end of.

the cigarette is placed in abutment with the resistance wire heater-element, a pin on a moving control rod en- United States Patent so that the following occurs:

2 connected across the voltage source and in parallel with the series-connected relay contact elements and heater element are the serially connected relay coil and two sets of normally-open spring contact elements. Y i

v The circuitry hereinbefore described is incorporated into the cigarette dispenser disclosed in Patent 2,936,930. As may be understood by referring to that patent, and from the detailed description hereinafter, as a result of manually actuating a push button 2, a control rod 32 having a pin 31 attached thereto is moved longitudinally in a forward direction. In addition, a plate-like slider 9 associated with a cigarette magazine chamber 1 moves laterallytomove one cigarette into a conveying mechanism. The circuitry of the present invention is incorporated into the cigarette dispenser of Patent 2,936,930

As the control rod 32 moves longitudinally in a forward direction, a second pin on the control rod moves forward and one of the two sets of spring'contact elements in series with the relay coil is closed. Subsequently, and immediately before the cigarette, being carried by the conveying mechanism, is brought into abutment with thelresistanc'e wire heater element, the other setpof spring contacts, in series with the relay coil, is closed by the-laterally moving slider 9.: .As a consequence, the

' relay coil is energized and the relay contact elements are gages a cam piece which is fixed to one contact of the spring contact pair and causes the spring contacts to rent from the voltage source to heat the resistance Wire heater element to light the end of the cigarette.

Experience with the above-described cigarette'dispenser has demonstrated thata great deal of care and expense is required in making and assembling'the control rod, pin, cam piece and: spring contacts. For example, the sizing and'contouringof the cam piece and its arrangement with respect to the controlrods pin requires a great deal of precision. Otherwise the cigarette lighting ope'ration will not always be carried out properly; In addition, it has been found that a great, deal of care is requiredinarranging the spring contacts in relation to resistance.' This is particularly critical when the resistance wire heater element draws 12 toxl5 amperes from voltage sources of 6'to 12-volts.

' Accordingly, one object'ofthe present invention is to provide a cig'arettedightingcircuit for acigarette dispenser which obviates the aforementioneddisadvantages. Another object of the present invention'is to provide a "new and improved cigarette lighting .circuitadaptable I of being incorporated in cigarette dispensers of the'kindv hereinbefore described.- I Another object 'of the present invention is'to provide 'a cigarette lighting circuit which is relatively simple, high- Accordingto. one "embodiment of the:-present .-invenclose'for a short duration of time, thereby allowing curopened.

the control rods pin inorder to maintain low contact closed, thereby allowing current from the voltage source to pass-through the heater element and heat the heater element whereby the arriving cigarette end'is lighted. Subsequently the control rod 32,.by virtue ofv the action described-in Patent 2,936,930 and hereinafter, moves longitudinallyin a reverse direction. Eventually the sec-' and pin on the moving control rod 32 again engages one of the sets of spring contacts and opens them. Thus, the relay coil is deenergized and the relay contact elements return to their normally open condition and current flow to heater element 'is discontinued. Also, the slider 9 returns laterally inthe opposite direction to open the other of the sets of contact elements so that: both sets of contact elements in' series with the relay coil are The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexedto and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, it operating advantages and specific objects'attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there areillustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention. In the drawing: I c

. poses of clarity, showing the arrangement ofelementsof the present invention as incorporated into a cigarette dispenser of the type disclosed inU.S. Patent 2,936,930; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the cigarette-lighting electrical circuitry according to the present invention;

FIG. 3' is a front 'view of the frontalportion of the cigarette dispensenjpartly in section and with the front wall being removed; 7' Y FIG. 4n a front view similar to that Orrin. 3, but

showing the first stage of operation, namely a'cigarett e' being just in position to be lighted; I 7

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the dispenser, the cover plate' 'of the housing as well as the'bottom plates of the magazine chamber being removed? FIG. 6"is a topplan view I dispenser at theheight ofthe pusher rods;

' FIG. -7 is anend view partly in section; I

FIG-8 is a top plan view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 7, some parts beingremoved; and I 1 FIGS. -9 and 10. are fragmentary views of the dispenser disclosing particularly the latch of the pusher rod.

of the 'center portionof the FIGSS'S, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9 andltl correspond, respectively,

to FIGS. 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of saidPatent No.

For convenience, elements common to the subject matter er the present invention and'those of U.S."Patent claw 4 (FIGS 3 and 4)., ALthat particularinstant,

t a pivoted and spring biasedmember 4a of claw 4 is held open by lug portion 25 of slider 9gwhich' is movingor 1 pushingtoward the-right, as viewed vinFIGSJIi and 4.

Claw 4 has a bottom piece 26 'guidedin a longitudinal slot a 27, of a trough 28 which, aside-from forming a guide for 2,936,930 bear the same reference number designations.

It is believed that a better understanding of the inven-'-- tion will beobtained ifreference is made first to FIGS. 3-10 showing, principally,'t he construction of the dispenser of US. Patent No; 2,936,930.

'Referrin g'to' FIGS. 3-10, the illustrated'dispenserhas.

' a magazine chamber I and is provided with a push button 2 (FIGS. 5, 6 and7) which is disposed normally outside of a housing G, but which may be pushedinto hous ing' G, by' manual operation, through an opening of the housing. Pushbutton 2 is mounted on apusherrod 3 i and hasa lateral groove Zainto which the, end of a con trol rod 32 mayenter during a predetermined'phase of the operation of a dispenser. v t t Pusher rod 3 carries a lateral pin 10 (FIG. 6) which engages arecess in-an angular lever l1 and tui'ns'this lever'clockwise about a pivot pin 2t! when rod 3 ispushed i arm'with a lateral luglla' and a longrarm with a rounded nose I2}. Nose I2jis adaptedto engage the face 13 of a slider 9 as bestseenin FIGS. 3 and 8, lSlider19 then moves from the left toward the right. horizontally, 'as' viewed in FIG. 3, beneath the hingedbottom plates. 50

and 51'of magazine chamber 1. Slider 9 has bent-cit side portions and is formedwith slots 16, as bestseen in FIGS. 3 and 4, whiclrre'ceive guide bolts48 (FIGS; 5

T and 8) and whichalso' connect the side walls 17', -18 of magazine chamber 1' within'housing G. A downwardly extending lug 125 of slider 9 (FIG. 3). form's,itogether with the likewise downwardly extending edge portion of an inclined closure plate IS; a trough- .The bottom.

of trough 25"is formed by a fixed sheet membe.r:19,1the pivot. pin 20 of angular ,lever'll being fastened to the downwardly extending portion 21 of 'sheetmember 19.

' by operation of button 2. Angular leverll has a short outward motion ofpusher r0d 3. during its forward and; 35.

claw, 4, also serves toi'preventedg'ing ot-the cigarette when dropping into the claw. J I

A head 26a is connected with claw bottom'piece 26 and glides ina guiding slot 244; of a lever 24 (FIGS. 5 and 6) pivoted at 24b; Lever 24 is rotatable fror'n the full line position of FIG, .5 to the broken line position thereof and, during such rotation moves claw 4in longitudinal slot 27 from the front, to the rear of trough structure 28; Lever 24 is driven byacross pin 22 of pusher rod 3, this cross pin being engaged in an elongated'slot or opening 23. of lever,24g V At the moment when the single cigarette zdmps into its limiting'positions. "Atthe same moment, spring biased member 4a of claw .4 slides oiflugportionfZS of slider 9 and thus CIampscigarette' Z- in the claw so that the cigarette, during thefurther forward travel of lever 24 and claw- 4', is displacedlongitudinally toward lighter 5. All these constrainedly controlled motions take place during inward movem'ent of pushenrod' 3. At'the'same time, pusher rods? causes a charging of power 'storing devices cons'istin g of the-tension springs-6, 7' and 8 shown in FIGS. 3,4, 5, 6 and; 8'. These springs, thus tensioned," individuallyactuate the return-motionrof the pusher and control rods [and the returnofthe control slider 9, Suitable means are provided for securing uniform inward and return'ruris. AsshowninFIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, this means may comprise the piston 36 of an air brake c'ylinder 40,?

which piston is mounted'on the inward endofpusherrod 3 asbest seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Alternatively, such uniform-operation may be obtained .by, the arrangement shown in FIGIl, which comprises a'bellows95 which isconnectedto push rod 3.1 f

as will be more fully described. This reciprocating mo-.

tion of the bottom platesserves thepurpose of preventing mutualbracing or edging of the cigarettesiinr the magazine, chamber 1, thus assuring 'a reliable discharge of,

only a single cigaretteat a time. When rod 3 ispushed, by depression of push buttonxZ, slider 9 moves toward.

the-right, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4,and towardthe left, as viewed in FIG. 8; until its portion 2 1 abuts against and is latchedly a pawl 14'pivoted at Ma. (FIG; 8). Displacement of slider 9"e'ntrains also closure sheet 15, as

1 Duringinward displacementcf pusher rod' 3,1tip 30a As best seen inFIGS; 7, 9"and,1'0,"two latch pawn 2e and 30 are pivotallyylinked to pusher rod 3 as by being mounted on a commonrpivotpin 5.8.- Pawl-- 29 has a recess 29a (FIG. 7 )which catches onto a fixed angular bearing piece 45, andthus latches pusher rod'fi'in its rear.

or inward limiting position. it Recess 29a is located at the end' of a slanting edge, surface 29b whose purpose will be explained further hereinafter; As best seen: in'FIGS.-'

9 and 10, pawl 30 has two pointed tips fiila andxittb;

abuts against a pin 3110f a control rod 32 which extends and is di'splaceable-in parallel'relationto' pusher rode.

seeninFIG. 4, which lifts bottom plate 50 of, magazine chamber land closes theqgap between the two bottom I plates" 50 and 51 while shoving the single cigaretteaZ, v onisheet 19,"-t0war,d the right (FIG. 4); At the1same I 'timeya recessedportion 46(FIG. 8) of sliderfl pushes against an, angular member 52 pivotally connected with bottom plate 51. This "turns member 52 about its pivot in opposition to the force of a spring53 (FIGL1 3) s01 that bottom plate 51 isiforced downwardly as seenfin FIG. 4.1 Movementof plate 51; is limited, in both directions; by means .ofa guiding slot 54 and a guide pin,44 'near the front edge .of bottom plate 51.

- The upwardly rotating'bottom platestl andthe downwardly rotatingbottom plate 51 cooperateitomove the cigarettesin magazine chamber 1 against each. other to preserve the necessary mobility of the individual cigarettes so that edging" and clogging of the cigarette supply isprevented; 7 1 The singlecigarette Z'displaccd from sheet memberjQ transversely to the cigaretteqaxislgdrops into a holding travel, of, control rod.

Near the .endof the forward or inward displacement of pusher rod 3, tip dtlbjfof pawl 3%) 'glides onto the upper edge-0f therearbearing angle 4'5,'.as seenin FIG. .10.

This causes lifting of pawl 30so that pin is released and control rodj32 commences its return'motion under the pull of spring 6'. This action occurs immediately after latching of pusher rod 3 in'thrinwa'rd limitinglposition.

Heater spiral: 5 is' designed and .shapedin' accordance with ;well-known**cigar' "anducigarette lig'hters During the forward or inward run of 'pusher- -rodl3;cigarette Z has its end=placed againstlieater sipiral5 due'tothe. ac-

tion of lever24t and claw 4fdriyerr thereby; Henceicigarette. Z islit as soon as theelectricheatingfcurrent is switchedonTas will be'rdescribed hereinafter Co'ntrolrod "is f also i provided with-a braking device for securing a slo w,-uniform:and controllable return'travel.

For this .purpose,' ;a rack 3.3;is attachedtocontrol rod32 (FI G.= 7)' "andfmesheswithta 'piilitfirig'fi l(FIG. 4) for driving eddy-current brake' '35 (FIG. 7)'. Themechanism is provided with a tree-wheelingclutchtnot:shownlso ithatjeddy-current brake 35 operates:only-during returnf.

32"; ;Since;such ieddy currentbrakes .5 are generally known and their structural details are not part of the invention proper, the brake is not further described herein. In lieu of an eddy-current brake, other known adjustable braking devices, such as liquid brakes, centrifugal speed regulators, and the like, may be used in combination with an overrun or free-wheeling clutch.

A releasing plate 39 (FIG. 7) is located at the inward end of control rod 32. After lighter is deenergized in a manner to be described, by return movement of control rod 32, releasing plate 39 is engaged by the inclined edge 29b of pawl 29 so that the latter is-lifted- As a result, pusher rod 3 is unlatched from rear bearing angle 45 and commences its return run under the action of tension spring 7. At the starting moment of this run, pin 22 in elongated hole 23 of lever 24 acts to displace holder claw 4 together with the lit cigarette Z in the trough 28 in the outward direction until lever 24 again reaches the full line starting position of FIGS. 5 and 6. In this position, the tip of cigarette Z protrudes through the front wall of the dispenser housing so that the cigarette can be removed readily. At the same time, guide pin returns angular lever 11 so that lug 11a of the short lever arm releases latch 14 of slider 9. The slider 9 is thus returned to its starting position by the action of tension spring 8. The aforementioned braking means provide for a uniform and slow return movement of pusher rod 3 back to its starting position.

The cigarette dispenser is further provided with a latching device which prevents repeated operation of pusher rod 3 before the lit cigarette is removed. For this purpose, a pawl 42 is pivotally mounted on the front bearing angle 43 of pusher rod 3. Pawl 42 is latchingly engageable with a recess 41 of pusher rod 3 in order to prevent renewed operation of the rod. Pawl 42 is loosely connected with a rod 44 disposed and guided in a groove of trough 28. When the lit cigarette is removed from the dispenser, resilient claw 4a closes and presses against rod 44, thus shoving pawl 42 out of groove 41 in pusher rod 3. As a result, the latching of the pusher rod in its outward, inactive position is released as soon as the lit cigarette is taken from the dispenser. Thereby, a push button 2 can be depressed again for lighting and dispensing another cigarette.

As illustrated at FIG. 1, a relay comprising a relay coil 82 and a set of associated contacts 80 and 81 is mounted on housing G of the cigarette dispenser. Within the housing G there is situated, as described laterally moveable slider 9 and longitudinally movable control rod 32, having pin 31 and a second pin 31a fastened thereto. Within the housing G and protruding therethrough is pusher rod 3 which is longitudinally movable by manual actuation of push button 2 associated therewith.

Also situated within the housing G are the spring contact elements 83, 84 and 85. Spring contact elements 83 and 84 form part of a switch assembly which is mounted on the left-hand wall of housing G, as viewed from the operating end of thedispenser. Switch assembly 85, as best seen in FIG. 8, is mounted on the right-hand wall of housing G, which is the wall approached by slider 9 when the latter is displaced by operation of push button 2 as already described. In the condition shown at FIG. 1, the cigarette dispenser is in its non-operated status such that the control pin 31a flexes the spring contact 83 away from the spring contact 84, thus maintaining an open circuit condition therebetween. Also, in the non-operated status of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1, the slider 9 has its retracted position in which the spring contacts 85 are in an open condition.

As illustrated :at FIG. 2, wherein the normal or nonoperated status of the cigarette-lighting circuitry is shown, the connection terminals 91, 91 of the subject circuitry are connected across a voltage source (not shown) through a suitable fuse 90. One of the terminals 91 is, as shown, connected to ground 92. The relay contacts 80 and 81 which are adapted to be closed upon energization of the relay coil 82, are connected in series with a resistance wire heater element 5 across the voltage source. Connected in parallel across the heater element 5 is an indicator lamp 37 which is mounted on the front wall of the housing G. As shown, another series circuit is connected in parallel across the relay contacts 80, 81 and the heater element 5. This other series circuit is comprised of the serially connected contacts 83, 84, 85 and the relay coil 82.

In accordance with the orientation shown in FIG. 1, as the pusher rod 3 is moved toward the left, the control rod 32 with its pin 31a also moves toward the left. As pin 31a moves toward the left, the spring contact 83, by virtue of its spring bias, will move into contact with the spring contact 84. Subsequently, and immediately prior to the arrival of the cigarette into abutment with the heater element 5, the spring contact set 85 is closed by virtue of the aforementioned lateral movement of slider 9. Closure of contacts 85 is efiected by suitable means 96 positioned on Slider 9 and engageable with contacts 85 when slider 9 moves to the left as viewed in FIG. 8. Since the contact 83 is closed with contact 84 and the contact elements 85 are closed, there is completed a series circuit with the relay coil 82 and the voltage source, thereby energizing relay coil 82. Upon energization of the relay coil 82, contact element 80 moves into contact with the contact element 81. As a consequence there is completed a series circuit between the relay contacts 80, 81 and the heater element 5 with the voltage source, allowing the heater element 5 to generate enough heat to light the end of the cigarette. Subsequently the control rod 32 and the pusher rod 3 are uncoupled, in the manner described, whereupon the control rod 32 moves longitudinally toward the right (according to the orientation of FIG. 1) toward its starting position. Eventually, the pin 31a reengages the spring contact 83 and moves it out of engagement with the contact 84, thereby disruptingthe flow of current through the relay coil 82. Also slider element 9 returns to its starting position in the manner described. Upon returning, slider 9 opens the set of contacts 85, whereby all of the contacts in series with the relay coil 82 are opened. When control pin 31a disengages contact element 83 from contact element 84, the relay contacts 80, 81 are opened, thereby interrupting the flow of current to the heater element.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A cigarette dispenser comprising, in combination, a housing having a dispensing opening; an electric lighting device mounted on said housing and coaxially spaced from said opening; a cigarette magazine in said housing, said magazine having two bottom plates forming together an elongated ga-p through which anindividual cigarette may pass; conveying mechanism in said housing, and including slider means and cigarette-holding claw means; said slider means being displaceable, from a starting position to an operating position, in a direction transverse to said gap for shifting said individual cigarette into said claw means; a trough structure extending beneath said claw means from said lighting device to said dispensing opening, said claw means being displaceable in and along said trough structure for longitudinally displacing said individual cigarette into lighting contact with said lighting device and thereafter in the reverse direction and partly out of said dispensing opening; a pusher rod having a starting position and being manually controllable to move longitudinally inwardly from said position; said claw means having a starting position and said slider means and said claw means being coupled with said pusher rod and entrainable thereby during inward movement of said pusher rod; a plurality of spring means. connected with.

said slider means and claw means, said pusher rod; and

said control rod for tensioning by inward movementof said pusher rod for individually returning said pusher r-od,

said control rod and said slider means and claw means to 7 their respective starting positions; plural releasable latch means operable to releasably maintain said pusher rod and said slider means in the operated positions thereofi'releaslng means for disengaging said control rod from said pusher rod at the end of the inward run of said puslierrod for return of said control red by one of said spring means;

means operable, responsive to return of said pusher rod to its starting position, to release thelatch means of said pusher rod for return of said pusher rod to its starting position; means operable, responsive to return movement of said pusher rod, to release-the'lateh means for said slider means for return of said slider means to its starting position by one of said spring means; a first normally open switch mounted'cn a wall of said housing; means carried by said control rod and engagea-ble with said first switch, upon the start of movement ot'said control rod inwardly from its starting position, to close said first switch and to maintain said first switch closed until return of said'oon trol rod to'its starting position; a second normally open switch mounted on a wall of said housing; means on said a slider means engageable with said second normaly open switch to close the latter when said slider means reaches 8i. its operating position; a relay mounted on said housing and including an operating coil and "a set-of relay contacts which areclosed responsive to energiza'tion of said operating "coil; means connecting said relay contacts in series with said lighting device and a voltage source; and a series circuit including said first and second switches; said relay rette into said claw means. i

References-Cited by theExaminer a UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,954 10/25 Polk 317l35 2,028,787 1/36 Lane 221l47 X 2,936,930 5/60 Horst-Gunther Rott et a-l. 12l-15 RAPHAEIL M, LUPo, Primary E a iner;

LOUIS JJDEMBO, Examiner. 

